1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a tag tape having an RFID circuit element comprising an IC circuit part that stores information and a tag antenna that transmits and receives information, an RFID label produced using this tag tape, a tag tape roll comprising the tag tape, and an RFID circuit element cartridge capable of supplying the tag tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
In prior art, a tape printing apparatus (a label producing apparatus) that stores a tape that is to serve as a print-receiving material in the form of a roll and print desired text on the tape while the tape is fed out from the roll so as to discharge the tape in the form of a label has already been proposed (refer to JP, Y, 06-34126, for example).
In this prior art, the tape printing apparatus comprises a roll (supply spool) around which a print-receiving tape is wound, and a roll (supply spool) around which a separation sheet comprising an adhesive layer on one surface is wound. The apparatus is characterized in that desired printing is performed on the print-receiving tape while the print-receiving tape is fed out from one roll, a separation sheet with an adhesive layer fed out from the other roll is bonded to the print-receiving tape after printing, and this print-receiving tape with the separation sheet bonded thereto is then cut by a cutter (full-cutting cutter) at a predetermined length so as to produce a printed label (piece of tape).
The produced printed label is then affixed to an object to be affixed by peeling off the separation sheet and exposing the adhesive layer. At this time, a cut is provided on the separation sheet in advance or cutting is performed on only the separation sheet of each printed label using a half-cutting cutter (without cutting the print-receiving tape) so as to form a cut line (half-cut part) that serves as a cut when the separation sheet is peeled off. When the separation sheet is peeled off and the printed label is affixed to a predetermined object to be affixed, the area near the cut line of the printed label is bent towards the print-receiving tape side, causing the end part of the area near the cut line of the separation sheet to peel from the print-receiving tape and protrude upward, allowing the user to take hold of the protruding section with his/her fingers and easily peel the separation sheet from the print-receiving tape.
In recent years, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system that reads/writes information between a small-sized RFID tag comprising an RFID circuit element and a reader/writer (reading/writing apparatus) in a non-contact manner has attracted attention. An RFID circuit element provided to an RFID tag comprises an IC circuit part that stores predetermined information, and a tag antenna that transmits/receives information, connected (joined) to the IC circuit part. With such an arrangement, the reader/writer can access (read/write information with) the IC circuit part provided in the tag even if the RFID tag has become dirty or has come to be located at a position where it cannot be seen. Thus, it is anticipated that such a technique will be of practical use in a wide variety of fields such as commodity management, inspection process, and the like.
With such an RFID tag, when information related to the RFID tag information aside from the tag information stored in the interior is printed on the label and the label is used as an RFID label with print in the same manner as the prior art described above, the user is able to visually check the related information, making the design convenient in various ways.
Here, a tag label producing apparatus of the above-described prior art is used as an apparatus that produces RFID labels, an RFID label is produced by reading and writing information to and from the RFID tag and printing the information on the RFID tag, and a cut line is formed on the separation sheet on the back of the label, thereby making it possible for the user to easily peel off the separation sheet from the cut line using his/her fingers and affix the RFID label.
Nevertheless, in such a case, when the area near the cut line is bent as described above, the possibility exists that the resultant external force and deformation will result in an adverse physical effect on the RFID circuit element provided to the RFID label. For example, because the IC circuit part and antenna are conductably connected (joined) in some type of standard format, resulting in a relative weak point strength-wise in comparison to other sections, this connected part (or joined part) may become damaged by the above-described bend, resulting in impairment of the communication function.